Pakistan, China to boost trade through SMEs

LAHORE - The remarkable success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector in China has opened new avenues for its economy to flourish that Pakistan should emulate, said speakers here at a seminar on Thursday.

China has become the best example of emerging as an economic power, largely relying on small and medium enterprises sector, the experts said at the seminar on 'Achieving Sustainable Economy by 2017 by Fully Benefiting from China in SME Sector' held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The theme of the seminar was about taking full advantage of Chinese expertise in various economic sectors in general and in small and medium enterprises sector in particular. At the seminar, experts discussed the road map, execution mechanism and forming monitoring team by inviting all the stakeholders for sustainable economy by 2017 by fully benefiting from China. They said that the government and private sector of Pakistan should join hands for high-speed growth of micro, small and medium industry. During the seminar, the speakers highlighted various aspects of Pak-China economic corridor, economic cooperation and regional connectivity projects.

They shed light on ways that may bring drastic change in Pakistan’s economy with special reference to Pak-China economic cooperation through joint ventures, transfer of technology and identification of more items of exports to China, knowledge sharing and technical trainings. Provincial ministers Chaudhry Shafiq Ahmad and Sher Ali Khan in their respective addresses said that because of untiring efforts of the Punjab government, Pak-China friendship has entered into a new era. They said that the Chinese government was extending full cooperation to Pakistan for ongoing development process. They said that various Chinese investment companies have showed willingness to invest in various sectors in Pakistan particularly in Punjab. Pakistani business community should come forward and avail this unique opportunity that would help Pakistan to take full benefit from the Chinese expertise in various sectors of economy.